Team USA has not lost back-to-back games since first allowing NBA Players to play in national competitions, and if you are okay with that happening, you are simply part of the problem.
Colin Cowherd On Team USA
Colin Cowherd said that Team USA’s recent losses were okay before going into a segment where he talked about playing basketball and soccer as a kid, as well as bringing up skiing and other nonsense. He describes the global increase in local talent development, and while that is great for basketball, it does not mean that Team USA can get complacent. Is it okay for them to get outhustled and outshot in both exhibition games mere weeks before the Olympics, Colin?
Cowherd then speaks on the best international players around the league, but he leaves out a key point. This is not Team USA versus Team World, and the United States is not playing a team composed of Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic. Nigeria has four or five NBA players on their roster, the best of which is Precious Achiuwa. Australia does have Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, and Matisse Thybulle, which is a solid group, but Team USA has 11 of the top 40 or even 30 NBA players. These games are obviously not going to be cakewalks, but back-to-back games not getting the job done and being embarrassed while doing it? That is not okay Colin. You and the NBA are both soft.
Basketball Is Growing Around the World While The USA Softens
The league has more international stars than ever right now, and it is incredible to see so many countries put out superstars. MVP winner Nikola Jokic is Serbian and the runner-up Joel Embiid is from Cameroon. DPOY Rudy Gobert (questionable win) is French and many more stars come from international backgrounds. However, the American players think they have the right to come into the tournament acting as if they won it already, despite their poor performances in these exhibition games. Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant combined shooting 10-20 from 3 point range, yet the team was still outshot by Australia. Team USA did not take any big men and assumed they would just outshoot every team, but they have been outshot in each game and were destroyed in the paint by Australia. They are still the best team in the world, but Team USA must put their egos aside and get back to playing basketball.
The team has struggled because NBA players get soft foul calls and touch fouls that FIBA referees see and laugh at. I hope Adam Silver is taking notes because the gritty defense allowed in international play is more entertaining for viewers than watching the NBA, where good defense is punished.
We need to get back to the Team USA eating at a Wendy’s mixed with a gas station and Starbucks, then blowing out teams by 50.
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